ROTA: The Champion and the Rogue
by Roe Dusk
Summary: 2000 years in the future the blond swordsman is working in a pizza and sub shop.  He gets a new roommate in the form of a red-headed former ICEC recruit.  Cloud knows more than he's telling and Reno is confused. Part of my sister's ROTA story.


Another ROTA group, my sister has been working on her story intro, so I got caught again. I will be going back to my other stories sometime this semester tho, I made a new years resolution.

If you get confused because the background makes no sense to you, there is a ROTA (Return of the Angels) introduction in my first posted story about Rufus, Tseng, and Reeve. It's a stand in untill my sister gets her story edited the way she likes and can post the begining.

Reno and Cloud are just too funny, especially when it's all one big inside joke to cloud.

Please note for this story that the long handled wooden spatula thing used by bakers to put a pizza or other dough in an oven is called a "peel". I'm serious, I looked it up, it's also used in metallurgy to not burn yourself while putting things in a furnace. It's also a type of 16th century small fortified tower in England or Scotland. Go figure.

Also important, Cloud remembers his past life, but no one else does (Except Seph who is a special case and Vincent who never died). So Cloud recognizes Reno and thinks it's funny that he bumped into him, but Reno doesn't recognize Cloud.

Cloud is also much calmer about everything in this story, since he's grown up remembering his past life, but in a happy family. He eventually realized he couldn't rush his anger/revenge/upset and really mellowed out. Basically what I'm saying is he became really mature, not changed personality, sorry if he still appears too OOC.

* * *

**Pizza Peel**

* * *

Cloud Strife looked up from the sandwiches he was wrapping in plastic wrap to go under the glass counter out front.

The older woman he worked for, Mrs Deborah Hart, noticed and turned to him, "What is it?"

"We're about to have guests," he replied with a patient sigh.

She raised an eyebrow at that and gave the back door a measuring look. "I'd better make myself presentable then," she decided curtly, finishing the pizza she was working on and slipping it into the oven before washing her hands, "I'd hate to keep them waiting."

Cloud nodded his understanding, pausing to lean a long Pizza Peel against the counter beside him before returning to his sandwiches.

A few seconds later the back door slammed open and six ICEC soldiers marched in. Cloud looked them over as he finished his current sandwich, his eyes flashing from one to the other as he calculated their odds.

_Newer squad. Around just long enough to start getting bold. _His eyes flickered over the somewhat hesitant redhead. _Breaking in a new recruit._

Satisfied with his odds, Cloud sat back to watch his employer work.

Mrs Hart put her hands on her hips and leaned forward slightly, "Well? What do you want? We've got work to do."

One of the ICECs spoke up, "We're here for your rent."

Mrs Hart leaned back slightly, an eyebrow raising with her voice, "Funny, I don't remember having a rent, since I own this shop."

"You do now," the ICEC responded, smirking, "Or maybe you want to call it taxes. Either way, we need it before anything happens to this nice shop of yours."

The shop keeper crossed her arms, "No."

"What?" the ICEC sputtered as Cloud and Deborah shared a look.

"Listen lady," another soldier spoke up, "Either you pay us, or…"

"I think you should leave," Cloud interrupted calmly.

"Oh yea?" the leader snapped, having finally found his voice, "And what are you going to do about it?"

Cloud blinked at him once before hefting the Pizza Peel and attacking the ICEC with it. The leader was down before he could react, and the others all rushed to attack Cloud. He dispatched them easily, and finished with a backhanded blow that sent the redhead flying.

But the new recruit recovered before he hit the wall and managed to lessen the impact, leaping to his feet to attack Cloud again.

Impressed, Cloud paused a moment to study the young man before moving to intercept him. Recognition dawned and he smiled slightly as he sent the younger man flying into the pantry; It looked like Reno had been reborn as well.

Hiding his smirk, the blond turned to the fallen ICEC soldiers scattered around him and repeated himself, "I think you should leave now."

They all but ran from him and he allowed himself an ironic smile. They would not be back to test their luck in case the higher ups had heard that they'd been caught. Being caught was unacceptable, it made it hard for everyone else to extort a profit.

Leaning the Pizza Peel up against the wall, he went to check on Reno.

The young redhead had smashed into the edge of one of the shelves, knocking the whole thing down on top of him. Cloud lifted the metal frame off of him as the younger man shook his head groggily. He winced when Cloud stepped back to watch him, looking around quickly for the Pizza Peel.

Mrs Hart walked over to stand in the doorway and put her hands on her hips, looking straight at Reno, "Now, who's going to pay for the mess you lot made of my store?"

Reno paled, "Why are you looking at me?"

"Everyone else left," Cloud offered mildly and Reno groaned.

"You'll be working it off," Deborah decided before turning back to her work, "Send in your resignation."

"Where am I supposed to live while until I've paid off this debt?" Reno blurted out.

"You can share my apartment," Cloud offered.

Reno blinked at him, "Seriously?"

Cloud shrugged, "There's no reason not to. Besides," he smiled, "this way you can't run away."

Reno sighed dramatically and stood, "If you say so." He looked around him at the mess of spilled foodstuffs and began picking through it, "Can you tell me how you want this cleaned up?"

Cloud nodded and knelt across from Reno to help.


End file.
